WEDNESDAY August 21, 2024
Partakers of God’s Grace
...just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:7-8
Look how beautiful! I love this verse and what was expressed from Paul’s heart. His letter showed his shepherd’s heart for the people. He loved and cared for them. He thought about them all the time. He wished he could be with them, but he could not. He was in chains waiting for the opportunity to share the Gospel of grace with Caesar Nero. So for two, whole years, Paul wrote his epistles and shared his thoughts and actions with those who mattered to him most. His priority was to share the grace of God with them all.
God witnessed Paul’s pure heart. He had such a genuine affection for the believers in Philippi. Do you know what the word affection means? It denotes “tender mercies” and is prompted by the same love as Jesus Christ has for the Church.
Paul had such an intense desire to be with the believers in Philippi, especially as he reflected back on his days of fellowship with them. Most importantly, Paul reflected on Jesus as his Savior. This is what kept him moving forward in his call to preach the Gospel.
What should we be doing as Christians? We should have an intense desire to share the grace of God with others. How we need to share His grace, love and mercy with those who need it, no matter our circumstances. As we do, the results will be tremendous. Lost souls will come to know God.
We are living in an age of grace, in which God promises that ‘whosoever will’ may come and receive His Son. But this period of grace will not go on indefinitely. We are even now living on borrowed time.
~Billy Graham~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
